An Eskimoe-stable and enclosure at Igaliko, CEO NALENS) 
Chapter VIII. 
Einar Sokkisson and the establishing 
of the episcopal residence. 
he last half of the eleventh century ended without leaving a trace 
in the saga literature, and in the beginning of the twelfth century 
we find chief Sokki Thorisson living at Brattahlid, which still held a 
prominent place amongst the Greenland Norsemen’s farms. 
Events now took place, which, in a high degree, left an impression 
on the Greenland community, in any case with regards to the clergy, 
as it is expressed in the tale of Einar Sokkisson which is found in the 
Flatey-book: 
On account of the country’s isolated position it was hardly possible 
to get a sufficient number of trained priests in Greenland, and here 
the need became great, of having a special bishopric. The old peasant 
Sokki therefore collected people — probably to the assize — and pro- 
posed, that “all inhabitants, through joint collection, should contribute 
to the raising of a bishop’s-see. All the peasants consented to it.” This 
however was not sufficient, and Sokki therefore sent his son, Einar, to 
Norway so as to obtain the consent of the Norwegian king and clergy. 
“Einar took some walrus-teeth and hides with him so as to gain the 
chieftain’s good graces.” 
Although the Greenland bishopric, is said, not to have been bigger 
than a third of an ordinary bishopric in other countries, king Sigurd 
Jorsalfar and the clergy agreed to its foundation, and the Norseman 
